Apparatus for conveying automobile-bodies and the like



J. E. McBRIDE.

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AUTOMOBILE BOD-IE8 AND THE LIKE. APPLiCATlON FILED JAN. 10. 1919.

Patented June 22, 1920.

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amen/B05, viss l ficBride (Rheum! Y E.- McBRlDE. APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AUTOMOBILE BODIES AND THE'LIKE. APPLiCATION FILED MN. 1 0. I919.

1,344,419. PatentedJune 221920.

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1 Qwuewboz sse l7 McBre'ziZ fa UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE E. MCBRIDE, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PALMER-BEE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AUTOMOBILE-BODIES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed January 10; 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssE E. MCBRIDE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in Apparatus for Conveying Automobile-Bodies and the like, of which the following is a specification, reference be ing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to the enameling of metallic bodies for automobiles and other heavy and bulky articles, and it is the object of the invention to simplify and expedite the process, and to a large extent to eliminate the manual labor involved. To this end the invention consists in the novel construction of apparatus as hereinafter set forth. I

In the present state of the art such bodies are enameled by alternately coating and baking, several coats being necessary to produce the desired finish. The usual practice is to manually apply the liquid coating, then to transfer the coated article to the oven where it remains stationary for a sufficient period of time to dry and harden the enamel. The article is then removed from the oven, is re-coated and again transferred to the oven, these operations being repeatedl as often as necessary. Great care must be taken to protect the coated articles from dust and dirt while the coating is soft, and also to avoid marring the surface by handling. The weight of the individual articles is such as to renderthe manual transferring difficult and laborious.

The present invention overcomes the difficulties by continuously carrying the articles during the entire process without interruption or transfer, and in alternately coating and baking at successive points in the path of advancement. The mechanism is simplified and the power required for its propulsion is reduced by the use of several tunnel ovens arranged in a substantially straight line with intermediate spaces where the coating is performed. This permits of using a straight line conveyer and avoids complication in the construction of the same.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section through my improved apparatus;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1920.

Serial No. 270,535.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, similar to Fig. 2, showing the initial engagement of the work with the conveyer;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the means of disengaging the finished work from the conveyer;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the ovens;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation thereof.

A, A and A? are ovens arranged in alinement with each other with a tail end s ace B and spaces B and B therebetween. T ese ovens may be formed of any suitable construction and may be heated by any suitable means. I prefer, however, to heat the ovens electrically and to distribute the heat by radiation directly upon the work. To permit of the introduction and withdrawal of the work without excessive loss of heat, vestibules C and C are arranged at opposite ends, while the oven is in the form of a tunnel extending between these vestibules. The cross-section of the vestibule is but slightly greater than that of the work to be introduced and is of suitable contour to reduce the clearance space to the minimum without danger of contact with or obstruction to the advancing work. D are flue connections for extracting the vapor-laden air from the oven chambers at intervals throughout their length, and E are inlet flues for fresh air. q

To advance the work through the series of ovens I have provided a single conveyer F which extends in a straight line through the entire series and returns through a parallel path. This conveyer comprises a link chain G with cross shafts H at intervals and anti-friction roller bearings I upon these shafts. The rolls travel upon tracks J which are arranged slightly below the ceiling of K are permanently attached to the chain' and pass around with the same through the return orbit, but the attachment device M may be engaged at the tail end and removed at the head end.

To facilitate engagement the ta' end of the conveyer is slightly depressed to form an inclined portion N. This sufficiently lowers the hooks K of the hangers K so that they may be inserted in the eyelets M While the work is supported on the truck 0. This truckfis used for transferring the work to the conveyer, and during the engagement of the hooks the truck may be manually moved forward until the rise in the conveyer will lift off the work therefrom. For removing the work aconveyer P is arranged to extend beneath the articles, being provided with an inclinedportion P which will raise each article until strain is removed from the hooks, permitting of their disengagement. The conveyer P preferably forms the assembly conveyer on which the work is supported, while various accesso-.

ries are engaged therewith, and thus no transferring is required either during the enameling process or the subsequent assembling.

In operation, the bodies, or other articles to be enameled, are successively brought to the tail end of the conveyer on the trucks 0 and are engaged with the hooks K as before described. When removed from the trucks the articles will be slowly advanced, first passing over the space B where the surface is coated with the liquid enamel, and then passing into the oven A. The length of this oven is such that at the rate. at which the conveyer is advancing the work will remain in the oven a sufficient time interval to dry or bake the first coat. As the work emerges through the tunnel G into the space B it is again coated with the liquid enamel and then passes into the second oven A. After passing it from the oven A it is again coated in the space B and.

receives its final baking in the oven A After emerging from this last oven the work is carried over the conveyer P and when the rise in this conveyer relieves the stress upon the hangers the hooks may be disengaged from the eyelets, permitting the work to continue its movement'beyond the conveyer F and during the subsequent assembling operation.

The supporting of the work by suspension means during the coating operations has a great advantage over supporting of the work by means arranged therebeneath. This is for the reason that anything below the coated article will be covered with drippings and will in time accumulate dirt, which is likely vto injure the finished surface. On the other hand, the suspension means can be kept free from the liquid. I have also guarded against the dropping of dirt from the conveyer upon the enameled .tending continuousl vices.

surface by guard flanges Q, which are on the inside of the tracks J andrise above the level of the same.

What I claim asrmy invention is:

1. An apparatus, comprising a. series of ovens with intermediate spaces, a horizontal conveyer extending continuously through the series of ovens and intermediate spaces, and means for enga 'ng the work with said conveyer at one en and removing it from the opposite end.

2. An apparatus, comprising a series of ovens arranged in a straightline, said ovens being spaced from each other and provided with entrance and exit vestibules at their opposite ends, a conveyer extending continuously through the series of ovens and intermediate spaces, and means for engaging the work with said conveyer at the tail 3. An apparatus, comprising a series of alined tunnel ovens with intermediate spaces between said ovens, a conveyer exthrough the series of ovens and interme iate spaces, a series of work suspension devices arranged along sald'conveyer, and means for;.engag1ng the work with said suspension devices at the tail end and removing it at the head end.

4. An apparatus, comprising a series of alined tunnel ovens having intermediate spaces, a straight line conveyer passing through the series of ovens and intermediate spaces in a plane adjacent to the tops of the ovens,.and a series of depending work suspension devices on said conveyer.

5. An' apparatus, comprising a series of alined tunnel ovens with intermediate spaces, a substantially straight line conveyer extending through said ovens and invices at the tail end of the conveyer, and

end thereof.

6. An apparatus, comprising a series of means for disengaging the work at the head alined \tunnelovens. with intermediate.

spaces, a conveyer having a portion extendmg in a substantially straight line through the series of ovens and intermediate spaces in a plane adjacent to the tops of the ovens and having a return portion in a higher plane, a series of work suspension devices on said conveyer, means at the tail end of the conveyer for'supporting the work during engagement with said suspension devices and for lifting the work from. its support during the advancement thereof, and

means -at the head end of the conveyer for lifting the work to facilitate the disengagement ofthe same from said suspension de- 7. 'An apparatus, comprising a series of alined tunnel ovens with intermediate spaces, a continuously operating work conveyer having 'a portion extending in a subs s'tantially straight line in a plane through and adjacent to theftgps of said ovens and having a return portion outsidelo fthe ovens,

said ovens adjacent to the tops thereof, a

series of work suspension devices supported on said track, and a conveyer to which said Work suspension devices are attached, having a portion extending parallel to said track and a returning portion,

9. An apparatus, comprising a series of alined tunnel I ovens with intermediate spaces, a track extending in a horizontal plane through said ovens and-intermediate spaces, Worksuspension trolleys for travel-- ing on ,said track, an endless conveyer to which said trolleys are attached, having a portion adjacent to said track and a returning portion, means for depressing the tail end of the conveyer for engagement of the Work with said work suspension trolleys, and a receiving conveyer extending beneath thehead end of said first-mentioned conveyer in'a plane beneath the Work, said receiving conveyer having an inclined portion for lifting the work to disengage the same from said trolleys.

10, An apparatus, comprising a seriesof aiined tunnel ovens with spaces, an overhead conveyer extending through said ovens and intermediate spaces in a plane beneath the tops of the ovens,

work suspension devices on said conveyer, and an underneath conveyer having a portion underlapping said overhead conveyer at the head end thereof to receive the work therefrom, said underneath conveyer being extended to form a work assembling device.

11. An apparatus, comprising a series of ovens spaced from each other and provided with entrance and exit vestibules at their opposite ends, a conveyer extending continuously through the series of ovens and intermediate spaces and means for engaging the work with said conveyers at one end conveyer at the opposite end thereof.

12. An apparatus, comprising a series of alined tunnel ovens with intermediate spaces, a track extending in a plane through said ovens adjacent to the tops thereof, a

series of work suspension devices supported on said track, a conveyer to which said work suspension devices are attached having a portion extending parallel to said track and a returning portion, and a guard flange extending below and at the side of said track.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JESSE E. MoBRIDE.

intermediate thereof and disengaging the work from said 7 

